Using fields/objects for dynamic text?

[Chris C]

Can I modify text that has an object name?

Here's my example:

1. The user clicks "new client" button...

2. Red text appears next to one of the fields and tells the user important info...

3. Depending on what the user does, that red text may or may not stay there...

I was using a field to display the text... My script simply used the setField command to change the blank (uneditable) to whatever I wanted to say and it worked fine... but this database is eventually going to have a lot of records! I don't want all these basically useless fields taking up space. It also makes the field names under "define database" look messy too... I don't want people looking at it and saying: "what the crap is display_confirmation!?"...

Does anyone know any alternatives for dynamically displaying text?

Thanks!

-Chris

[Brian C]

Use:

go to object[objectname]

insert calculated result[]

If you want to further control where the insertion point winds up, you will need to store the fieldname in a variable:

set variable[

$tempfield ;

getfield(Get ( ActiveFieldTableName ) & "::" & Get ( ActiveFieldName ))

]

loop

go to next field

exit loop if(getfield(Get ( ActiveFieldTableName ) & "::" & Get ( ActiveFieldName )) = $tempfield)

end loop

[Chris C]

That method is using fields though, correct? Is there any way to do this without using fields?

[Brian C]

You could try using the AutoEnter options for your message display field and uncheck the option

"Do not replace existing value of field(if any)"

Then you could just input a calculation that will automatically modify the contents of the field when any of the identified fields meet specific criteria...

[Brian C]

Or you could just make the process script driven and display dialog messages to the user if an error is encountered.

Or from an instant web publishing point of view, create a table just for displaying error messages and have the script navigate to that table , pause , and then return to the original layout.

[Chris C]

So i have to use a field?

[Brian C]

In order to display data on a layout that is changeable, currently you must use a field to do this. Variables cannot be used on layouts to display information yet.